Listen:  155.5

If you are a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I have two scripture passages for you to consider. The first one is Matthew 19:8-9 which reads, “He said unto them, ‘Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery’” (NKJV). In this passage the Lord Jesus condemned divorcing one’s wife for any reason. He gave one exception; if the wife is unfaithful to her husband it is grounds for divorce. If I understand your situation correctly your wife’s unfaithfulness happened BEFORE you two were married. You would not have scriptural grounds for divorcing your wife unless she was PRESENTLY committing acts of sexual immorality. I would suggest that you try replacing those terrible thoughts of your wife’s past with something positive, such as the “two beautiful kids” that you have had together. Philippians 4:8 states, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The second passage I had in mind was Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it.” Here is a very challenging verse for us husbands! The Lord Jesus has set a standard for the love we are to show to our wives, for He loved us so much that He laid down His life to redeem us. He loved us when we were unlovable.  Let’s consider Romans 5:6-10, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” 

Think about that!  We were ungodly sinners and His enemies when the Lord took our place in death and judgment on the cross. His love for us was UNCONDITIONAL, and this is the love we are to have for our wives. You may be saying, “But just think of her terrible, immoral life before I married her.” To that I would reply, “Just think of what your life was like before you came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.”  The Lord does NOT dwell on our past, and neither should you dwell on your wife’s past. I would encourage you to meditate often on the Lord’s love for you, and then ask Him to give you that same love for your wife.  (155.5)  (DO)